In direct contact coolers (DCCs) such as the Econamine FG PlusSM plant at Bellingham, Mass. and those described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,715,948 to Lewis, et al., a gas typically enters a side of the DCC vessel, turns 90 degrees, passes through irrigated packing, and exits through a top of the DCC vessel. When a DCC is coupled downstream of another gas cleaning system such as a flue gas desulfurization (FGD) system (see FIG. 1), complex ductwork arrangement is typically required because the product gas exits the top of the FGD and is then directed to the bottom of an adjacent DCC where the gas then flows to the top of the DCC and back down to the ground into a blower or booster fan.
Although down-flow DCCs are discussed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,073,634, 4,168,150, and 4,252,553 to Pircon, et al., such coolers are (1) impractical because of the impact of flue gas impurities such as SO2 and other acid gases on the coolers and downstream components, and (2) inefficient because of the co-current heat exchange. Pircon and all other extrinsic materials discussed herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety. Where a definition or use of a term in an incorporated reference is inconsistent or contrary to the definition of that term provided herein, the definition of that term provided herein applies and the definition of that term in the reference does not apply.
Thus, there is still a need for improved gas conditioning systems and methods configured for down-flow of a feed gas that eliminate one or more of the problems discussed above.